Throwback Thursday to 2014: Onyria -- My Heart Will Go On (Celine Dion cover)

Along with the 2013 single "Revenge," Italian symphonic metal entity Onyria chose to take on the world famous song with their version in 2014. This is the video from YouTube.

Onyria - My Heart Will Go On (Celine Dion cover)

Break The Silence by Onyria

Throwback Thursday to 2004: Axel Rudi Pell -- Forever Angel

"Forever Angel" comes from the 2004 album Kings and Queens.

ABOUT: Axel Rudi Pell is a German heavy metal guitar player. He commenced his musical career with Steeler (1984–88) before leaving in 1988 for a solo career. During this time, he has played with such drummers as Jörg Michael and Mike Terrana, and singers Charlie Huhn, Johnny Gioeli of Hardline, Jeff Scott Soto, and Rob Rock. Gioeli remains the longest surviving vocalist of the band, having joined the group since 1998 on the album Oceans of Time, Gioeli's first musical appearance since the 1992 Hardline album Double Eclipse. Axel often says his music is about a Knight in shining armour going on various adventures. Each album continues one new quest after the other, and songs are told as separate stories. Axel's main influence in guitar work has been Ritchie Blackmore from Deep Purple. [Wikipedia]

Axel Rudi Pell - Forever Angel

https://axelrudipell.bandcamp.com/releases

Throwback Thursday to 1984: Lee Aaron -- Metal Queen

ABOUT: Canadian singer, songwriter and producer, Lee Aaron is legendary for her unique brand of melodic hard rock and as a trail blazer in the women's rock movement of the 1980s. One of the world's most invincible voices and fearless re-inventors, she has performed everything from hard rock to jazz and is a multi-platinum seller.

[2/24/2021 statement by Lee Aaron] On this day in 1984, the Metal Queen album was released. Back then, I had no idea that 37 years later, people would still be listening to this album, consider the song an anthem or that I’d still be talking about it in interviews. I guess that speaks volumes. What I do want people to know, is that when George Bernhardt (my high school band mate) and I wrote this song, it was in response to the over-the-top sexualized marketing that women (especially women in rock, and previously myself) were subjected to in the media and videos in the 80s. It wasn’t uncommon to have a gang of bikini clad ladies hosed down and suggestively cavorting about, while washing a hot sports car (to the music track) of some male artist - and that just made my blood boil. It felt so wrong. We wanted to show, NOT that women needed to rise up, but that women ARE, and have ALWAYS BEEN strong, and we wanted to create something that changed the music industry’s perception of them at that time. That women were NOT merely adornments to make their male counterparts appear, well....more male. The people who ‘got it’ REALLLLLY ‘got it.’ Others dismissed it as yet another cute girl singing rock, lumping it in with all the rest of the MTV culture vids of that time...completely missing the point. I am grateful the world has come so far in it’s treatment and perception of women, and the value of ALL peoples for that matter. It’s still not a perfect place - a work in progress we all play a part in. Metal Queen is a song for anyone. Let it inspire you to stand for what is right always!! Peace and Love XO❤️❤️

Lee Aaron- Metal Queen

https://www.facebook.com/LeeAaronMusic

Belgian death metal documentary PESTIFER "Expanding the Virus"

This is a French-language documentary with English subtitles.

ABOUT: Belgian SciFi Tech Death masters PESTIFER have just unleashed a documentary about the recording of new album "Expanding Oblivion", its release amidst the current pandemic, a gig with a sat audience, their relationship with XENOKORP and a forthcoming live in the studio recording during the Belgian quarantine.

ABOUT: Pestifer is a metal band that has been haunting Belgium since 2004. Composed of four humanoids, the group plays an original music mixing aggressivity, melodies and personality with emphasis the songs structure, elaborate riffing and the general atmosphere

PESTIFER "Expanding the Virus" [documentary]

Expanding Oblivion by Pestifer

Indonesian black metal Choria new single "Maria's Tale I: Thorn Queen"

Metal Archives shows the following recordings:

Demo 2017 Demo 2017

Black Secret Beyond of Nature Full-length 2018

Toward Ancient | Pathway to the Olden Age Single 2019

Maria's Tale I: Thorn Queen Single 2021

The new song is from the forthcoming album "A Dismal Repertoire" (March 2021, Interlude Records)

Maria's Tale I: Thorn Queen by 𝕮𝖍𝖔𝖗𝖎𝖆

long defunct band ARCANA XXII showing signs of life with A Return To The Darkland + The Untold Digi-CD+DVD

(from Einheit Produktionen) ABOUT: Everyone agrees, Arcana XXII was not just another metal band. They were musicians writing highly original material and performing in a country where the odds were firmly against this style of music.

This collection of songs stems from a time when almost no one in Africa gave a damn about heavy metal. They were the first songs of this genre ever to be released in a country like Namibia. They were, in fact, one of the very first metallic rumblings on the entire African continent. For the band there were no local musical footsteps to follow, no high end musical equipment to be had and certainly no industry to support the endeavor. This is unfiltered homegrown stuff, love it or hate it.

The songs on this compilation were recorded between 1997 and 2002 - the vast majority of them live and on analogue equipment. The story may be largely untold, but the music not entirely unheard. The fans in Namibia and South Africa eventually took notice, some European media took interest and the band had fun recording and performing these songs over a time of almost seven years. Today, metal bands in Africa are no longer novelties - the style has come to stay. But it had to start somewhere and Arcana XXII from the Namibian capital Windhoek were right there at the very beginning.

In collaborative effort over three continents, “Return to the Darkland“ was compiled by the band members themselves to showcase the legacy of a band that was truly one of the pioneers of heavy metal music on the African continent.

Namibia, on the southwestern coast of Africa, is one of the most sparsely populated places on earth. The desert state, which only gained independence from South Africa in 1990, can look back on an eventful history and was a German colony from 1884 to 1915 before it became a vassal state of its southern neighbour . All band members are born and bred Namibians and South Africans with a diverse European heritage.

ARCANA XXII – “A Return to the Darkland / Untold” Digi-CD+DVD expected to released 25.02.2021.

Arcana XXII - "Sacrifice" (New Song)

Arcana XXII - Ramses (2020)

https://www.facebook.com/einheitproduktionen

PAIN FIELD plays in Everett, tonight, Saturday night

Pain Field is Mark Mathiasen, Brian Majors, Morgen Gallagher, Steve Campbell and Colin Mattson, an American heavy metal band based in Everett, WA.

🤘TONIGHT!🤘

Pain Field will be at TonyVsGarage

Limited Seating: 80 Seats available

Entrance not guaranteed

COVID mandates apply

Free show no tickets

You must have a mask on if not at your table.

There is no dancing on the dance floor. This is a seated event.

https://www.facebook.com/painfieldrocks

Throwback Thursday: Anesthesia Of Beer 2009's Reing In Beer

Anesthesia of Beer (Brazil) is old-school crossover thrash mosh pit music. They have a punk energy in their chugging, thrashy riffs, extreme vocals, in a semi-growling style with background gang shouts. Their first album listed on Bandcamp is 2009's Reing In Beer. Since then, they have had demos, EPs, live recordings, two studio albums.

Reing In Beer (2009) by Anesthesia Of Beer

concert calendar (Everett, Washington state, USA)

March 13: Salem Knights, Massacre at the Opera at Tony V's, Everett, WA

March 20: Deadbeat Blackout at Tony V's, Everett, WA

May 28 Geoff Tate at Historic Everett Theatre, Everett, WA

The Impaler -- deathcore from Australia

On Bandcamp there is a 2020 recording called Death Cult, but this is a 2021 recording. It is the following tracks: 1.VOICES 3:36; 2.FAILURE 3:02; 3.IMMORTAL 4:16; 4.MOURN Feat CJ McMahon 4:00; 5.FEAR 4:05; 6.HATRED Feat. Josh Hill 3:12; 7.RELEASE 7:40. They are Australian and “Impaler chooses to remain faceless, nameless, and shrouded in mystery with the purpose to maintain their main focus, which is their sound. Their sound is a solid wall of death metal The band's metal influ-ences derive from bands such as Thy Art Is Murder, Whitechapel, and Mesuggah, and these influences can be heard in the band's hectic riffs and sonic aggression.” This is deathcore that keeps the music slow and midtempo, with a huge bottom end that reverberates and low, brutal growling. The music at times picks up speed, for the sake of variety, which includes throwing in some shrieking on the vocals. However, the music is mainly about three things: groove, heaviness and breakdowns. Fans of heavy hardcore, and of the big grooving break-downs should be rather pleased. The audiences that already heard the 2020 know what to expect, and with the new album they get more of the heaviness. It should be noted that the bottom end has been brought down lower and the low strings are also going lower on this new recording. We could say that they toned down the extreme metal elements (the blasting, for example) from the debut, and have gone deeper into finding the lowest, heaviest grooves possible in deathcore.

The Impaler - Mourn (ft. CJ McMahon from Thy Art is Murder) - NEW SONG 2021

Death Cult by The Impaler

https://www.facebook.com/the.impvler/?ref=page_internal

The Merciless Concept -- deathcore/death metal from New York, USA

This zine missed the boat on the 2020 album Sessions of Pain by the New York deathcore/death metal band The Merciless Concept. It looks like the band began more than ten years ago, and they have two studio albums so far, with some singles and a demo in between. Metal Archives shows the following recordings: American Scum (EP 2011); Armageddon (full-length 2012); Internal Execution (single 2012); Demo 2012 (demo 2012); Reign of Torment (single 2016); Suffering Humanity (single 2020); Ruin (ft. Frank Mullen) (single 2020); Subject 42 (single 2020); Sessions of Pain (full-length 2020). At this point their music has the lower growling heaviness of deathcore and the chugging guitars, but they also speed things up to a headbanging pace, more typical of death metal. They do a good job of combining both styles. Fans of heavy brutality both with groove and speed can enjoy the two sides of the coin. The music is fairly accessible, easy to like and understand. Their sound has the trademarks of deathcore, which is why the songs are immediately groovy, but the death influences make for a more varied listen. Solid album.

Sessions of Pain by The Merciless Concept

"Reign of Torment" Single by The Merciless Concept

Demo 2012 by The Merciless Concept

https://www.facebook.com/TheMercilessConcept/

Ritual Moon -- black thrash from California, USA

Ritual Moon began in 2019 and hit the ground running. They issued their debut demo that same year, a split recording with California deathsters Harlequin in 2020, the debut full-length album in 2021 called Ritual Moon I, and then another song in 2021 in a split with Kentucky black metal punks Black Knife. The album Ritual Moon I is 12 songs in some 45 minutes and is the band's best and most important work so far. People call it black thrash: wrathful vocals but not super shrieky, and a hard-driving guitar with headbanging riffs and just a little bit of melody. Imagine early Bathory/Sodom/Destruction, and you kind of got yourself a good idea of the deal. The vocals are done well, the guitar is thrashy in a filthy type of way with some melody, the bass guitar rumbles and thunders under the line. The drumming beats fit the music well, but the drums (or parts of the drums) are a bit too clean for this filth. They do not like to do guitar solos, which is too bad, because the mini-solo on the sixth song "Crimson Avenger" sounds cool. The instrumental song "Dismal" shows a more melodic side. On the other hand, let's not get it twisted, Ritual Moon is a headbanging experience. They have good songs in the style, and they have a good vibe, in the sense that the music feels right on target. It's a cool start for sure, a very enjoyable and listenable album. It should be very interesting to see where things go from here.

Ritual Moon I by Ritual Moon

REVIEW Blue Hour Ghosts -- melodic contemporary prog from Italy

Blue Hour Ghosts

Due

Rockshots Records

12 February 2021

On their second album Blue Hour Ghosts dials up the melodic aspects of their music. The guitar work tends to be groovy, a bit djenty, chuggy but the tone is pleasant, not harsh; therefore, the guitars do not take center stage, and the melodic keyboards, one could argue, are as important to the overall sound. The rhythm section is also very prominent. The listener should be able to notice the bottom presence of the drums and bass; maybe not in a conspicuous way but after a bit of listening, the listener will feel it in the ears. The gentle thumping, the beats that go so well with the songs. The singing is a melodic voice. The band has a certain poppy feel. The main thing to consider in this case is that their music is appealing to fans of melodic bands with good singing; ear-friendly music that is focused on melody and vocal lines. This is more like "prog light". The band prefers a perfectionist approach to their music. The choruses seem cut/paste perfect, in an effort to get rid of any human errors. The songs are compact, and also cut/paste perfect, and the sampled drum sound also points towards the approach of clinical perfection in sound. Fans of this type of recording tecniques and of very melodic vocal lines may find this band to be a good discovery.

BLUE HOUR GHOSTS - On Black Clouds (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)

https://www.facebook.com/bluehourghosts

REVIEW Crawl Below -- singing the melodic doom of melancholy and low spirits

Crawl Below

9 Mile Square

12 February 2021

Crawl Below (Connecticut, USA) is the do-it-yourself homemade solo project of Charlie Sad Eyes (When The Deadbolt Breaks, Sentinel Hill, Holding On To Nothing, and Banth). Mr. Eyes does the vocals, guitar and drum programming. This is six songs (35:23) of sad, emotional, melodic doom with gothic or gloom romanticist male vocals. It is recommended that listeners begin here with this album, and not with the previous two albums (both in 2019) nor the covers EP (2021), and not because the other recordings are bad, but because Mr. Eyes is a genre grasshopper that cannot stay within the walls of any particular style. We heard the other recordings and they can go towards black metal, folk, punk, hardcore, hipster metal, and other things. However, this particular recording right here is melodic doom, and is much more pleasant, accessible, consistent and easier to understand than, say, some of the extreme metal of the 2019 debut album. This new album has a super chill style that will relax you, make you sad and then make you kind of happy to be sad, and you might to try sing along, which is doable because the singing is approachable and mellow, and melodic. Don’t fool yourself, though, this singing is very nice on the ears, which might not be the case when you try to replicate it, friend.

9 Mile Square by Crawl Below

Misanthropic Offerings -- raw death metal from Washington state, USA

Misanthropic Offerings is Kilo on drums and Keanu on guitars/vocals. Their first recording is called Upon a Sacrificial Altar (2020) and it is four songs in 14 minutes. The recording sounds like they found themselves a garage, set up the drums, a microphone and plugged in the guitar, and began to rage. It is a raw recording, and you'll get the feeling that they prefer their extreme metal to sound raw, crazed, and noisy. It is not blast-ing death all the time, sometimes they like some slower grooves, but they do like to speed up, too. It is old-school death without much in the way of after-recording tinkering. They sound like they do not even like to do overdubs (only some movie samples) and things like that. They don't want that fancy schmancy death, only the ugly death.

Upon A Sacrificial Altar by Misanthropic Offerings

Abducted -- instrumental tech-death from Washington state, USA

If you have ever thought that you like the music of death metal but all that growling and pig squealing gets in the way of your enjoyment of the musicianship, then Cameron Mills is here to give you an answer to your question through the 2020 recording Self Aware (25:16) (Before this recording, there was only a single in 2016.). Abducted is a do-it-yourself homemade project in which Mr. Mills plays guitar, keyboards, with drum programming. The music is headbanging metal, it is not super technical, but it can go in that direction a bit, while not overdoing it. Fans of old-school death will understand the music, given that even though it is not simplistic guitar work, it has riffs that grab the listener's attention. There is a bit of melody, but not too much, and sometimes it is the keyboards that add a bit of light or melodic bits to the music. Essentially, this is death’s energy without vocals, and with keyboard melodies.

Self Aware by Abducted

Somnae (Washington state, USA)

Metal Archives shows a 2010 three-song recording called Forever More for this melodic death band. It looks like they have inactive for a long time.

Somnae - Forever More

Sölicitör (Washington state, USA)

Sölicitör is speed metal. This is their 2020 album.

Spectral Devastation by Solicitor

Sol Negro (Washington state, USA)

Metal Archives shows these recordings for this extreme metal band: The Passage Without Light Demo 2001; Hellish Furnace Full-length 2002; Of Darkness and Flames Full-length 2007; Dawn of a New Sun Full-length 2012.

Sol Negro + No Fear To Die +

Solace in Black (Washington state, USA)

Here is a 2010 recording from this thrash band. It looks like they disbanded years ago.

ABOUT: Solace in Black has developed a unique sound within the metal genre. Dark in tone, with music that ranges from melodic to bludgeoning, they incorporate skill in ability and songwriting with emotionally charged lyrics and riffs.

The Gospel of Suffering by Solace in Black

Roar of Heroes (Cameroon) -- says goodbye with The Obsessive Impostor

Roar of Heroes calls itself "gothic-symphonic-power metal." Previously there was a bit of their music online, and now they have The Obsessive Impostor on YouTube. On there it says that the recording is some 53 minutes long. We are in the process of listening to the music, and it is melodic metal, like they say. Sometimes it sounds like symphonic, melodic metal, and at other times it is a lot more gothic. The project consists of Azra-Freyja and Anarchist 1st. It is good that the recording finally sees the light of day. Credit goes to them for finishing the recording and letting fans hear the music. It is nice to hear a lot more of the music, with more material of what it is all about. Unfortunately, they have also announced that this is the end of Roar of Heroes. Speaking for our-selves, we had been looking forward to hearing the recording, but we were not ex-pecting the bad news that would come with it. The recording is DIY, homemade music and only they know how much effort and time it all took to get all the pieces together. Roar of Heroes is over, but they have left their music is alive. The recording has the fol-lowing tracks: 1) The ninth abstraction; 2) Obsession; 3) La nuit du serment; 4) Light of freedom; 5) Te fairytale of an illusion; 6) Once upon a last time; 7) I walked alone. If you like gothic/melodic metal and homemade projects, you might be interested in hearing this recording. Below is their statement on the end of the project.

So guys, after a long period of absence and reflection, we come back with some news that will define everything we have built around the Roar Of Heroes adventure. After a deep meditation mainly focused on our future and the fulfillment of our individual desires, we concluded that it is time to drop online on our Youtube account only, the EP entitled "THE OBSESSIVE IMPOSTOR" on December 18th, 2020 at 10:00. We will post the link on this page when the time comes, and everyone will be able to access it for free. This is a gesture of gratitude to all those who, from the beginning have taken part in the journey, with their words, their encouragement, their advice: Their love. We are eternally grateful to you, so we will deliver this EP that has seen highs and lows to finally reach the light of day. We thank you in advance for taking your time to listen to this EP, this is a promise, even if not at the peak of its art, you will listen to Roar Of Heroes, our energy, our battle, our desire to convey our ideology and passion. However, this will be our last time, Roar Of Heroes will not go any further.

We took our time to make up our minds. We thought about all the responsibilities we had to fulfill, all the expectations and thoughts, but at the end of the meditation, unanimous and with serene hearts, we, Anarchist 1st and Azra-Freyja, decided to put end of the Roar Of Heroes journey. We would like to write a thousand words to express how much we feel about you, but in reality, simple words are enough to express our gratitude: THANK YOU.

We have no idea what the future holds for each of us as we take different paths, but we remain strong believers in our philosophy: The impossible is unthinkable. We have entrusted ourselves to time and destiny, and we are confident that each of us, in our path, will find the fulfillment of our freedom. It was a wonderful trip with you guys, short, but enough to feel fulfilled. It was an honor to be yours. Thank you and goodbye friends.

Roar Of Heroes - The Obsessive Impostor (Full Album)

https://www.facebook.com/RoarOfHeroes/?ref=page_internal

Lords of Quarmall (Washington state, USA)

Lords of Quarmall

Iron Exile

C. B. Centauri Productions

January 6th, 2021

1.Inopia Scriptorum 01:24

2.The Prophet's Mirror 03:46

3.Altars & Jesters 01:34 instrumental

4.Iron Exile pt. I: Consigned to the Subterrane 01:41

5.Iron Exile pt. II: Glory Be de'Ath 00:57 instrumental

6.Megapolisomancy 05:23

total time 14:45

released on cassette and CD 2/12/2021; order at http://www.cbcentauri.com

email to order: metalforbreakfast@hotmail.com

Lords of Quarmall seems to be a solo project by Reuben W. Storey, who, according to Metal Archives, has the following names to his credit: Horrible, Yronoxit, ex-Christian Mistress, ex-Funerot, ex-Moldy Castle, ex-Omnicrom, ex-Quayde LaHüe, Restless, ex-Gun Outfit. This EP is a type of rough-around-the-edges heavy metal with several charms. Lords of Quarmall works some elements from the 1970s and 1980s, but it’s relatively heavy as a contemporary recording. These vocals have more in common with Motorhead than with operatic, fancy singing of traditional HM. Musically, Lords of Quarmall may share wavelengths with the 1970s era of Budgie and Motorhead, but also with U.S. bands like Cirith Ungol, Brocas Helm, The Lord Weird Slough Feg, and Ma-nilla Road. This is quite heavier than all of those bands, as the music has a bit of an ex-treme metal feel, but seems strange, maybe literary, perhaps obsessed with kings, queens, battles, magic, curses, spells, mystery, prophets, ancient times or otherwise ob-scure topics from centuries or millennia ago. There is a certain thrash element going on in the music, for plenty of headbanging. The guitar has melodic parts but the rhythms are held up with muscular riffs at the base. Then, in there, the lead guitar does some big 1970s-ish melodies, for a good feel of thrashy heavy rock, as it were. Mr. Storey appar-ently is responsible for guitars, bass and vocals, but he is also a drummer (for example, Christian Mistress and Funerot), and on this recording, the drums sound awesome within this context. This publication is unable to tell readers if these are real drums or not, but they sound very real. It's a strong, lively, noisy sound, as real drums do. Who knows how much the drums have been edited, tinkered, "perfected" with computer software and studio magic, and all that stuff, but the drums do sound good. Might Mr. Storey be making a statement about the sad state of drumming in metal, with all that sampling and editing that avoids real drums? Might Mr. Storey be frustrated with the soft, flaccid, flabby sound of perfectly robotic sampling/programming? Listen for yourself, and see if you hear the difference.

LORDS OF QUARMALL "Iron Exile" DEMO 2021

Kaskaskia -- symphonic black metal from the USA

Some time ago we had noticed this black metal project online, but there wasn't much to go on. There was a 2019 single, and some pictures and hints of things to come. This EP is called Fleecian Winter Majesty and was released on January 20th, 2021. Apparently, the music was recorded in 2018 and only sees the light of day now. There doesn't seem to be any information saying this project is finished, so maybe it just took a long while to get it all together ready for release (It’s not easy when you have to do everything yourself in the name of black metal love). The EP is three songs: 1.Winter Tresses (06:30); 2.The Throne Awaits (04:38); 3.The Brunette (09:31), for a total time of 20:39. Metal Ar-chives shows that Kaskaskia (possibly based in Illinois state, USA) is Damián Antón Ojeda on guitars, keyboards and drum programming. Damián's other projects include A Nightlit Poesy, Aevilian, Comforting, Evocative Atmosphere, Évval, Life, Sadness, and Ser; and formerly of An Open Letter, Born an Abomination, Iniquitous Depression, and Left Alone. The vocals are taken care of by Tony Hicks from Goatswarth and Trollkjerring, and formerly of Born an Abomination, and Terranaut. Kaskaskia is do-it-yourself, homemade music for fans that enjoy this type of expression. The sound quality is that of a pretty good demo. The vocals are done very well, in a strong and wrathful way, but not shrieky, which makes it more appealing to more fans of DIY BM projects. A nice surprise with the vocals is that there is some melodic singing (the beginning of the second song), and sounds good, and apparently is also done by the same person (?), namely, Tony Hicks (Neither Metal Archives nor Bandcamp mention a guest or some other person doing the singing). The melodic singing seems to appear out of nowhere, given that few people would expect such a talent to show itself in lo-fi, homemade, necro BM. Fans of synths might enjoy some of the more melodic passages in the songs. Sometimes the synths are very melodic, even happy, actually, which adds some joy to this otherwise fierce, raging-at-home-in-my-bedroom black metal. The guitar is that barbed-wire, crackling sound that serves as the spear point leading the speed charge. This should be very enjoyable for fans of DIY melodic black metal, but fans that demand a real drummer and a studio, professional, big-budget production, of course, might not be convinced. On the other hand, this would be even better with live drums on the recording, as these sampled drumming sounds too soft. Finally, if there is bass gui-tar on this recording, to this listener it is not evident. Despite these shortcomings, the songwriting and the skills on display are rather convincing.

Fleecian Winter Majesty by Kaskaskia

https://www.facebook.com/WinterMagicBlackMetal/

review: Xael -- symphonic extreme metal

Xael

Bloodtide Rising

Pavement Entertainment

12 February 2021

Fans of the death metal institution Nile (U.S.) may be very interested to know that Xael involves Brad Parris (bass, vocals) from said band. Other fans of North Carolina extreme metal might like to know that this entity brings together other personalities: drummer Joshua Ward from Rapheumets Well (and is also a Nile drum tech), guitarist Daniel Presnell (formerly of Rapheumets Well), multi-instrumentalist and growler/singer Chris Hathcock from The Reticent (four albums so far), and Joshua Niemeyer (Metal Archives says that Joshua plays cello). With such experienced musicians, it should be interesting to see what they put together. First of all, it is ambitious, like the work in the previously mentioned bands. In addition, given that this is the follow-up to 2018's The Last Arbiter, itself a rather impressive debut album that did not sound like a debut but rather like the work of a long-running band, this new album provides what fans of the subgenre expect. That is, a group of musicians taking their best efforts to make that great album of symphonic extreme metal that fans remember years later. Death growls and melodic singing, intricate songwriting, cinematic atmospheres, and exquisite guitar solos are present as evidence of the mission to create a work hopefully can be remembered as more than just another extreme album in 2021. It sounds like the music that extreme metal fans imagine when watching epic films of ancient wars, civilizations and distant galaxies. Fans can assume that the symphonics is computer work, as is the drumming, as the information available to this publication does mention the involvement of an orchestra. The project would need much bigger budgets/resources for an orchestra. The drum sound is very clean and perfectly clinical, for your information, and not the sound of genuine drums played by a living human being. Unless these two issues (sampled symphonics and sampled drums) are deal breakers, expect to be impressed with the album and the band’s objectives to tell epic stories of distant worlds through extreme metal.

Xael - The Waste of Dreadrift (Official)

https://www.facebook.com/xael.metal/

review: Immortal Guardian -- prog power from the U.S./Canada

Immortal Guardian

Psychosomatic

M-Theory Audio

12 February 2021

Immortal Guardian, says Metal Archives, did demos in 2010 and 2011, EPs in 2012, 2013 and 2014. In 2018 the debut album was called Age of Revolution (48:30), and is available for streaming in its entirety on Bandcamp. This is the second album. It looks like in the early days they were a Lone Star State band, but now the members are scattered throughout the U.S. and Canada. Immortal Guardian is new-style, genre-mixing prog power that reaches into different areas and takes elements from there. The debut album showed percussion that uses extreme metal speeds and traits; a certain neoclassical, shreddy feel; neoclassical, shreddy keyboards; strong vocal lines designed to be remembered; a chorus-happy style, and with plenty of air raid screams. In terms of genres, we can say that prog, djent, melodic thrash, melodic extreme metal, shred, a bit of a certain 1980s vibe might be detectable. There might be some video gamey things going on, too. Their lyrics and themes seem existentialist, philosophical, historical, and big-picture topics. In short, it is that newer, a bit wilder, bouncy prog power. All these things are true on the second album, too. It is memorable, not too proggy prog power. Credit to them for keeping the prog (egos) in check, and for remembering the songs. Not that we are trying to prove it, but we would say that the new album seems slightly less speedy, but more melodic, catchier, with fuller choruses and things like that. Now, they also seem to have gotten djentier or groovier or chuggier, if you will, showing more elements from post-2010 core/groove, the kind that chugs a bit more. The bass guitar seems not very prominent, but after a bit the listener will perhaps imperceptibly feel that thumping bottom line running right under, anchoring the foundation. The drum sound is the normal sound in metal, which means that it is too soft, plastic and clinically perfect, and is not the sound of real drums by a live human being banging away in the studio.

Psychosomatic by Immortal Guardian

out this weekend: DayGlo Mourning -- hippy caravan doom from Georgia, USA

The 1970s will always be alive as long as DayGlo Mourning is alive. Fans of the doom of 1967 to 1974 will find Southern comfort in the gigantic, slow riffs and the objective of keepings things simple and heavy, and just going for broke on it.

DayGlo Mourning

Dead Star

Black Doomba Records

12 February 2021

ABOUT: Sometimes a band just lands with such impact that their momentum carries them into instant recognition. DayGlo Mourning out of Atlanta are just that band - it wasn’t long after their self-titled début that they signed on the dotted line with established connoisseurs Black Doomba Records, which has been their home label ever since. Now, the time has come for a new record to showcase the best of what they have to offer. Dead Star embodies the band’s name: DayGlo vibrant colors adorn the packaging which envelops the Mourning-laden riffs. The trio are not ones to waste a listener’s time, and go straight to what they do best - an homage to the fuzziest, most classic doom metal they can muster. The drums are on fire; Ray Miner may not be breaking any speed barriers, but he crashes and pounds out a fierce rhythm such as on opener “Dead Star”. Bassist Jerimy McNeil, meanwhile, gets a welcome centerstage slot on more than one occasion, leading the charge on “The Offering” and “Faithful Demise”. Naturally, the guitars are in the constant search for That Tone, and the one here is just the right level of amp-worshipping distortion, counterbalancing the beer-soaked yet melodic vocals of Joe Mills.

DayGlo Mourning didn’t get to this position by resting on their laurels, though, and Dead Star has a few tricks up its sleeve. One of these is the delightful blues-driven solos that litter the record, including a talk box solo on “The Offering”, while “Witch’s Ladder” shows just how low and heavy they go, while featuring intonations of curses to drag the listener into the depths of the occult. On a similar vibe, “Faithful Demise” feels strangely playful given its dark topics of death and religion, while the church-like choirs on “Ashwhore” are suitably sacrilegious. In short, while the début was a strong opening statement, Dead Star is a necessary next step for DayGlo Mourning. Bound to delight fans of doom metal of all stripes, it’s a must-have record that stands proud among the growing accolades of a band who rep their city’s metal scene so strongly.

Dead Star by DayGlo Mourning

out this weekend: Alltar -- doom from Oregon state, USA

In the book of Alltar doom means using stoner to merge with sludge, on the road to meeting up with postmetal, after having spent some time in psychedelia, and then going to a party at an event called "Ceremony of Sludge," all the while calling everybody they meet "Baby."

Alltar

Live At Ceremony of Sludge

12 February 2021

ABOUT: Bring your pain, your loss, and your love and place it on the Alltar, as we honor those that came before us. Emerging from the Pacific Northwest region, Portland’s Alltar set out a two-fold reminder: one, of the potency behind a doom, sludge, and post-metal blend; and two, of just how good live music will be once it returns. After the successful release of their début Hallowed, the quintet’s next move is to release a live record commemorating a stunning set at Ceremony of Sludge in their hometown, which saw a stacked bill including Usnea and Brume shake The World Famous Kenton Club back in March. “Ceremony of Sluuuuudge, baby!” comes booming through the speakers from vocalist Juan Carlos Caceres, whose amiable attitude contrasts with both the Ozzy-like wailing and harsher screaming - both of which hitting impressive peaks on “War Altar”. The lyrics draw from a wide range of topics; in the bands’ words, “the triumphs and tribulations of human-kind. From the technical and artistic birth of society’s achievements in art and technology, as well as the rise of power, war, destruction, and the control of humanity.”

One unusual feature of this release is just how damn good the mix is for such a young band in a festival format. Aside from the vocals soaring and shrieking, the drums pop and crash, the bass rumbles with menace, and the cavernous rhythm guitars are hypnotic. The five work seamlessly to stir the genre-melding pot, the contents of which contain pinches of Neurosis’ Souls at Zero, Amenra’s Mass series, latter-day Elder, and Cult of Luna. The record itself is akin to a beast that awakens - it starts with smooth guitar lines interwoven with Moog synthesizers on “Arcana”, while by the time “Cantilate” rolls around, there’s an unfolding crescendo of crunch. And then, just as the audience recovers from the devastating closer, a simple “thank you, we’re Alltar, Glasghote is up next!” It’s over in a short space of time, but that’s the beauty of live albums - there’s always the replay button.

Live at Ceremony of Sludge by Alltar

out this weekend: Tragedy in Hope -- melodic black metal from Russia

After a string of singles since 2017, and an EP in 2019, Tragedy in Hope is now streaming its debut album Sleep Paralysis. This album is for fans of symphonic black metal, melodic black metal, and gothic extreme metal with shrieked vocals.

Tragedy In Hope Sleep Paralysis 12 February 2021

ABOUT: Saint Petersburg, Russia. The story told in the album's lyrics is as gripping as it is chilling. Guitarist, vocalist, and composer Sasha Giller describes it as follows: "The story you are going to hear isn’t only a trip across the dark dream world; it is also the story of fighting with yourself. It’s the story about how strong you can get once you accept yourself as you are. The story of the album starts when the protagonist wakes up in a dream and goes to the mirror where he sees a twisted image of himself, the phantom monster of sleep paralysis. He escapes the place he found himself in, trying to run away from the bleak reality. He flies among white clouds trying to find a rainbow, but falls to the ground when thunderclouds and a storm come. The world beneath the clouds is filled with rains and a piercing cold. To find a rainbow there seems to be impossible and the darkness slowly starts to swallow him as many others before. He doesn’t give up chasing it, but the truth is, it is him, who is the phantom monster behind the mirror. He is just the mind projection of the true protagonist, who sleeps paralysed seeing nightmares. He tries to explain to the true protagonist that they are two parts of the whole one and only if they accept each other, they both will be able to escape the dark world they are stuck in. But when sleep paralysis finally ends, a lucid dream starts again."

Sleep Paralysis by Tragedy In Hope